They are still getting it wrong

I was reading today an article in the Washington (state) Chronicle. It was talking about the bill in the Senate now that requires businesses with more that 50 employees to provide health insurance. This is the problem with the health care system. Why does the system tie insurance to your job? Why is it your company’s job to insure you. We should not be telling business that they need to provide health benefits. It has always been a way to recruit employees, a nice perk so to speak. Here lies the problem, you end up with a job you hate, but you work there for the health benefits. I did for years. I had a job, I liked, but did not like the twelve to fourteen hours a day, that I had to work to make the money I wanted to make, I hated my boss. I stayed there because they had a great health insurance plan. Then the company downsizes, I am gone with no health insurance. Now in one respect, I was thrilled because the working conditons were not great ( I liked the job, just not the conditions around it). I had thought about leaving the company for probably two years, but could not because of the health insurance. I at the time did not know you could get health insurance privately. I thought you had to be self-employed.

Now let’s take this a step further. If everyone has to buy private insurance when they get off their parents policy, say when you are 22 years old. Most people are healthy at that point. So most people would medically qualify. Have an OPEN ENROLLMENT period on your 19th birthday for those who do not attend college, and one at 22 when you do attend college so you qualify. Make the system that if you enroll at that time, and keep coverage, you can never be denied. If you choose not to, then you can be denied. ( if they make this mandatory, you would not have the choice).

I can fix the health care system if anyone is listening.

Eric Wilson is a health insurance broker in the Chicago area. He can be reached toll free at 888-448-5370.